Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Let’s Talk Marketing

As a maker in the Kansas City and in the Midwest in general, it’s hard to get the same level of attention as some of our coastal maker friends and family.That being said, as with most things, the internet can come to the rescue. I’m going to cover a few of the basics first that I’ve learned through the years of trial and error.

First up–your website. The website is more than your online business card. It’s a window into your brand and should be treated and taken seriously. With the advent of WordPress and Squarespace it’s easy to throw something together but it takes a certain eye and level of care to make sure your content is on point and shows the best sides of who you are as a maker.

A few from our own lovely group that I am digging on is the beautiful and brand new Hang Ups site. It’s gorgeous! Beautiful images, clean look and feel, great logo and easy access to their products.

Another great way to represent yourself as a maker is by having a dual or coexisting Etsy shop. Using their new features like cover photos and other branding tricks makes Unravelled LLC’s Etsy site really stand out!

Finally, another tactic that all makers should know a love is their social media presence. Our own Ivory Isis has an on point Facebook business page with a good call to action and a lot of style.

Now that we’ve seen some examples of maker that are doing it right, the question remains: how do you go about handling the upkeep that each of these tools requires? We all know it’s not enough to just build a great site, you have to keep it updated, active and constantly changing and developing. Here’s a quick list of the Top Three Things You Can Do To Help Your Marketing:

Create an Editorial Calendar and put a schedule together of all of the posts you know you need and want to make. Every morning, check that calendar and queue your content up for the day or week.

Photograph everything, even if it’s not done. This is one that I struggle with a lot–just as you’re making, however, stop and take a few pics. You can use them as collateral later on down the road; even if you’ve already finished or sold the project. It makes it easy to have that go to “swipe file of images and content ready to go when you’re feeling stuck or crunched for time.

Join a group! The Handmade in KC community is awesome and helps keep content circulating and fresh. Being able to rely on a team of people you know are pulling for you makes a HUGE difference in the life of a small business owner/maker/artist/wearer of every hat.

Hopefully as we gear up for the Holidays and start thinking about the Winter regrouping time ahead these tips and examples will act as great reminders for those of you out there who are wondering what your next steps should or where to focus your energy.Happy making!Thank you Larissa of Unravelled for writing this week's post!!